Carl Grimes

Few characters in modern comics have grown up quite so publicly — or so hauntingly — as Carl Grimes, who first stepped onto the page in The Walking Dead #24 in 2005, brought to life by the singular partnership of Robert Kirkman and Charlie Adlard. A Modern Age survivor through and through, Carl's journey across 106 catalog appearances and 21 years of Image Comics publishing stands as one of the era's most remarkable long-form character arcs, earning three collector-significant key issues along the way. He navigates that brutal, unforgettable world alongside some of comics' most iconic modern figures — Michonne, Glenn, Maggie Greene, Abraham Ford, and Andrea among them — a company that speaks volumes about the weight of the stories he inhabits. Whether you're diving into the original The Walking Dead run or the beautifully restored pages of The Walking Dead Deluxe, Carl Grimes is essential reading for anyone who wants to understand what Image Comics meant to a generation.